April 17, 2009

• A gorgeous day in the Carolinas

  Good morning everyone. How are you this morning? Some of you aren't even up yet... lucky dogs!

  Today is suppose to be a gorgeous day. I am so thankful. It seems we've had so many gloomy days this year (yes, I mean since January... seems to be predominantly gray) I am tickled to have some sunshine and pretty blue skies. Today and tomorrow are both gonna be purrty days. Sunday it will rain again (see what I mean). I don't know what the forecast is after that, hopefully the rain is just Sunday.

  Yesterday was a full day for me. I got alot accomplished. I got off of the computer and started getting dressed. I knew I would be early, but I was ready to get the ball rolling for the day. Once I was dressed and ready to go I gathered up my legal paperwork and some insurance paperwork as well (might as well get all my running done). I left the house right at 7:30. I was at the DMV at 7:40, too early, but that was ok. I waited till just a couple of minutes before 8:00 and then headed to the door. I had to wait at the door for a minute or two before they unlocked it, but I was the first in line. I went directly to a desk and gave the lady (that's a very nice word for this woman... we dealt with her when we moved here... not a nice person), she wasn't exactly personable, but she was helpful and that was all that mattered. Within 15 minutes I had my new drivers license and voters registration change done as well. Yay!! It's done! I have finally, completely, legally gotten the necessary changes made to my name. I am so happy, I just cannot tell ya. The drivers license was the last piece to make it final. Cost $10 and worth every penny.

  I left the DMV with a pep in my step and headed off to get Tancy's inspection on her truck done. North Carolina just moved to a new system of the tag and inspection being due at the same time. They've also done away with inspection stickers (not the inspection mind you, just the visual reminder that you need one... whatever). So this year we had to do our inspections when the sticker showed us due. Next year we will have to have had them by the time we pay to renew our tags. I am expecting it is going to be a cluster (insert expletive) for the first year or so. They will not renew your tags if you don't have a current inspection sticker. Should be fun!! They should do like Ohio does and you get your tags renewed at your birthday... they don't have inspection stickers at all, or inspections if memory serves. How are you going to not have a sticker, but still require the inspection. People are going to forget because they have had the visual cue for so long. Hell, I would forget with the visual cue. Guess we'll all have to get smarter. It took about an hour to get the inspection done, the guy wasn't there when I arrived. I will say that being pregnant has had its perks. When I have gone in for stuff like the inspection sticker (there was 1 guy ahead of me) they move me through pretty quickly (yes, ahead of the guy that was there first). Men seem to be particularly nicer... must be the huge boobs! LMAO!

  Once the inspection was all taken care of I headed to our Insurance agents office. We rarely have a need to go there, and rarely go if we don't absolutely have to since they are about 45 minutes away.... there are closer offices, but we really like the people there and they know us by name at this point (really since the start) and I like that kind of personalized service. So, we stay. Thankfully most everything we have to do can be done by phone or email. Anyway, I brought the fella we deal with my legal documentation to get all our insurance stuff changed over. I also found that the insurance card for Tancy's truck was not in her truck, so I had him print me a new one to keep in the truck. I had thought ahead to bring our receipts from all the work on the house we've done to be sent in and he was nice enough to fax that off for me (I could have done it myself, but to take care of several things made the trip worth it). Additionally I wanted to see what our options were for life insurance for Lillie when she gets here. We discussed a few things and he printed me off some information. Life insurance confuses the hell out of me, so I brought it home and filed it away. I asked Mom to help me take a look at it and make a good decision when she comes in May for the shower. She knows what I am wanting in a policy and understands insurance (she basically grew up in insurance).

  With all that done I headed back toward home. I wanted to stop and pick up some bread and milk (yes, I just bought bread on Sunday and I needed milk again). Made that mad dash into Wal-Mart and got what I needed and headed  home. I unloaded the groceries, let the dogs out, put the groceries away and let the dogs back in. Then it was time to get down to business. The first thing I did was to scan my drivers license to send in to the credit union for my name change there. After firing off that email I started going through my list. I took care of the stuff on the Duke side of things, insurance, beneficiary, etc. Then on to utilities and miscellaneous bills. I had one place I had to go in and fill out a card (save till the end of the day if there's time, if not the next morning) and two places to fax in my documentation. Everything else I was able to take care of either online or on the phone. Sent off the faxes and then headed out to our power company to fill out the card for the name change. They are only about 10 minutes away, so no big deal. Got back home, faxes had gone through and all my tick marks to be taken care of were checked off. I have a packet or two of forms to fill out and send back for the change, but that's not a big deal either... I can say that the process has been started and/or completed for all of my "stuff". I still have to change my name at doctors offices, etc. But I will do that as I go in... they always ask if there have been any changes anyway. I am happy and proud of myself at this point. I have managed to get just about everything done, in one day, that I had planned to get done over a months time.

  I take out some tilapia for dinner and just veg for a while. I feel sleepy and restless. I grab a snack, trying to stave off hunger till dinner time. I am also feeling a little bored, so that doesn't help with the eating. I get an email from Tancy, she was able to get the pavilion at work for our baby shower. Now I know this doesn't sound like anything to most everyone else... a pavilion at a nuclear power plant for a baby shower... oooohhh! But it's a really nice pavilion on the lake with a good breeze and a pretty lawn. It's plenty big enough for all who might show and temperature wise it should be comfortable with the breeze off the water. So we are happy about the location. It's in Huntersville, so it wont be too far from anyone. We were running into trouble figuring out where to have it, what was fairly central, big enough and wouldn't cost any money. Found it!

  I guess it was about 6:30 - 6:45 when Tancy called to say she was on her way home. I started dinner cooking. Mom called while I was on the phone with Tancy. Since I had been trying to get in touch with her all evening I got off the phone with Tancy and talked to her till just after Tancy got home. By that time dinner was done and it was time to eat. So I told Mom I'd talk to her later and fixed mine and Tancy's plates for dinner. We ate and caught up on each others day.

  Our friends had their baby Wednesday night, she did end up having to have a c-section. He weighed 8lbs. 14 ounces! She's barely 5' tall... that's a big baby!! Anyway, Mom and baby are doing well. I am not planning to go up to the hospital, I know they will have quite a few visitors as it is. I figure we will wait till they come home, give them a few days to settle in, and then go see them. We got a picture of him though and he's absolutely adorable. I would post his picture, but seems strange to post pics of other peoples kids so I will refrain. Wishing them all well though.

  After we ate dinner and sat on the couch visiting for a bit (not long because she didn't get home till right at 7:00) we decided it was time to head "to the back". We got settled in bed and Scout started this new obsession she has where she shakes her head causing her ears to flap loudly against her head. Best we can figure is it starts with an itch and then she becomes obsessed with it. This went on for 45 minutes or so before we gave her some benadryl, hoping it would help with the apparent itching she must be feeling. She'd lay in the floor and use her paws to try to scratch her ears. Tancy checked them and didn't see anything (she just got them cleaned). So all we could do was to not acknowledge and wait for her to settle down. I think it was 10:00 before she settled down... and let me just tell you, that is one of those sounds that you just want to stop. We were both fully frustrated by about 9:00, but there's nothing to be done. This is what they both do when they wake up too... next time we go to the vet we need to ask about that. But labs are notorious for being neurotic, so there. By 10:00 we were both asleep.

  I am pretty sure I slept most of the night. I turned over a few times. Comfort does not come easily. But I did not get up to make a potty run. I knew if I got up Scout would start all over again (I know this because she's done it before and because at 9:45 she had laid down and had stopped, I got up to pee and she started up again), so I managed to hold it. The house was cooler last night and I think that helped me to sleep a bit more than I have the last few nights.... but I will tell you, this morning, I don't feel like I slept much at all last night. I stay so congested lately and am always sniffling and working hard to get enough air. I know that's a big part of why I feel tired so much. Even when I am falling asleep I have to lay just so to get good air flow. All the new ways of doing things when you are pregnant, even laying down, are quite entertaining when you stop to think about it. I am sure it would be even more entertaining if I were watching someone else do it (I know Tancy finds it funny sometimes).

  I woke up at 4:44 and was instantly worried that Tancy was late. I asked her what time she got up, she looked at the clock and said in a minute. It wasn't a minute before her alarm went off, which she turned off to snooze. I got up and started my morning routine. My head feels full of gunk. Nothing is moving anywhere, so if I had to guess it isn't really full of gunk, everythings just swollen from all the sniffling and such. Either way it feels fairly miserable. We had our coffee, I got the dogs fed and before I knew it, it was time for Tancy to leave for work. I started on the blog and the dogs are presently laying here beside me, on the couch, snoozing away.

  Seems like there's something else I am forgetting to write about... but honestly I have no idea what it would be right now. As I type Lillie is kicking me on my right side just below my ribs. She's moving around and my whole belly moves with her. It feels strange to sit here and type and feel all that movement. Sometimes she kicks or moves so much that it moves my arm from where it is resting as I type.

  Today I need to clean up the kitchen. I, for some reason, thought Tancy had picked up after dinner last night... she didn't. No biggie, I don't know why I would have thought that. I'd also like to clean the bathrooms if I have the energy today. I've got 12 hours, I should be able to get it done in there somewhere. I can't think of much else to be done around here. I am planning on it being a fairly easy day. I've worked on one thing or another for the last few days. It'll be nice not to have much to do for a day.

  I know that Aunt Jan and DJ are headed back home today. I am wishing them a safe trip. Dad, Casie and Chuck are both working today, I am wishing them a quick and easy day. Mom's weekend has started, I hope she enjoys the day to herself today. Tancy will be half way through her work week at the end of shift today, I know she's counting down the days till her "vacation" kicks in. Alot of the girls are going to Stomp this weekend, I hope they all have a great time!!! Other than that, I honestly have no idea what the hell else is going on. LOL. I am so disconnected right now, there's just so much going on lately and so much to be taken care of... I have a hard time keeping up.

  Alright kids. I think that's all I got today. I am sure there's something I forgot, but I honestly don't know what it is at this point. I'll check back in if I think of anything. I hope you all have a great day and a wonderful weekend (I will blog again, but you might be having too much fun to check).

  Love to all!

  • 6:35 am
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